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Bill

A 11534

Provides for compensation and other terms and conditions of employment of certain state officers and employees; appropriation

2025 Regular Session

Establishes multi-year pay raises, new salary schedules, and enhanced compensation/benefits for state employees and excluded staff, funded by dedicated General Fund appropriations.

SIGNED CHAP.126
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Bill Summary · A 11534

Overview

  • Bill: A 11534 (2025-2026 Session, New York)
  • Purpose: Establish compensation, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment for state officers and employees, including those excluded from collective bargaining; authorize funding for labor-management committees; implement negotiated agreements; and make related appropriations. The measure is divided into Part A (collective bargaining framework for certain state units) and Part B (compensation for employees excluded from collective negotiating units), with comprehensive salary schedules and ancillary pay provisions.

Main purpose and intent

  • Implement collective bargaining agreements and changes to salary/benefits for state employees in designated negotiating units (Part A) and for employees excluded from those units (Part B).
  • Provide scheduled, multi-year pay raises (2026–2031) and a framework for various forms of additional compensation, allowances, and special payments.
  • Create/fund labor-management mechanisms to study productivity and work-life issues and to implement negotiated agreements.
  • Repeal and replace certain salary schedules and update related statutory provisions to align with new compensation plans.
  • Ensure appropriation and funding mechanisms for these changes, including a dedicated general fund appropriation for personal service and related costs.

Key provisions and changes

  • Part A: Salaries and benefits for state employees in four units (Administrative, Institutional, Operational Services, Division of Military and Naval Affairs)

    • Salary schedules updated to reflect new pay steps and increments (multi-year pay scales).
    • Five-year salary steps and increases begin in 2026, with subsequent increases in 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030, plus adjustments for wage progression and caps.
    • Several sections modify existing civil service law language, including the filing and implementation timing for collective bargaining agreements, and how representative status is addressed in relation to expiration of agreements.
    • Several sections modify payment of non-salary items (e.g., personal property claims, petty cash handling, and administrative allowances) when negotiated agreements are in effect.
    • Location pay (e.g., NYC downstate, Mid-Hudson, and specific counties) is adjusted and extended with phased increases through 2029.
    • Various added compensations for special duties: briefing allowances, duty pay assignments, long-term seasonal pay, winter maintenance pay, inconvenience pay, and hazard pay for certain facilities.
    • Establishment and funding of a statewide labor-management committee (April 2, 2026–April 1, 2031) to study productivity and work-life issues and to advise on implementing agreements.
    • Provisions ensure that salary increases take effect in payroll periods closest to specified dates and allow for deferral if needed.
    • A dedicated appropriation (see §25–§26 sections) to support these changes, with conditions on release of funds.

  • Part A: Cornell and Alfred universities’ contract colleges

    • Allows for salary plan increases for non-professional and professional staff at Cornell and Alfred universities, within aggregate caps set by the act, and subject to university trustees’ plans.

  • Part B: Salaries for state officers and employees excluded from collective negotiating units

    • Establishes new hiring and job rates (HIRE RATE vs. JOB RATE) across multiple grades (M/C 3 to M/C 23 and M 1 to M 8) with phased effective dates (April 2026 through April 2030).
    • Specifies annual increases for 2026–2030 (4.5%, 4.0%, 3.5%, 3.0%, 3.0% respectively), with prorated application for non-salaried, seasonal, or hourly employees.
    • Addresses adjustments for redeployed or redeployed-lists employees, wage caps by job rate, and vacancy reductions by the Budget Director.
    • Sets hiring/job rates for correction superintendent salaries (two tiers based on inmate capacity) with incremental increases through 2030.
    • Applies similar multi-year increases to state police divisions and other excluded groups.

  • General provisions

    • Severability, general effective date, and implementation conditions tied to negotiated agreements being in effect.
    • Authorization for payment of grievance/arbitration settlements and related costs under the act.
    • Repeal and replacement of certain salary schedule provisions, with transition guidance.

Who would be affected

  • Core state employees in the four civil service negotiating units: Administrative Services Unit, Institutional Services Unit, Operational Services Unit, and the Division of Military and Naval Affairs Unit.
  • Employees excluded from collective bargaining units (Part B) across multiple managerial/confidential and other non-union categories.
  • Employees at Cornell and Alfred university contract colleges, and other state university professional and non-professional staff subject to university plans.
  • Hudson Valley Developmental Disabilities Services Office staff and certain transportation department personnel for specific compensation provisions.
  • Individuals entitled to location pay, inconvenience pay, briefing pay, duty pay, winter-maintenance pay, hazard pay, and other supplemental compensation.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective dates staggered by payroll periods:
    • March 26, 2026 (administrative payroll) and April 2, 2026 (institutional payroll) for initial raises in Part A and Part B.
    • Subsequent increases: 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030 with defined timing for administrative vs institutional payrolls.
  • Requires ratification and existence of collectively negotiated agreements before implementing certain increases or modifications (§20).
  • Requires director of employee relations to certify that negotiated agreements are in effect before salary/benefit changes take effect (§20).
  • Provides a dedicated appropriation (General Fund, State Operations) of $215.1 million for the 2026–2027 period to supplement appropriations for personal services and related costs, with controls on release and reporting.
  • Includes severability clause and a general effective date; allows for partial deferral of salary increases if necessary.
  • Repeals and replaces existing sections of civil service, correction, and state finance laws to align with new schedules and terms.

Note: This summary focuses on substantive content and potential impacts, avoiding policy positions and political context.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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